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N0. 620,3l5. Patented Feb. 28, I899. I. II. HARVEY.

OFFICE DOOR INDICATOR.

(Application fllad June 18, 1898.\

(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

@woawtoz A J H wane/bozo UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC HENDERSON HARVEY, OF J UMPING BRANCH, VEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. W. JOHNSTON AND G. H. JOHNSTON,

OF SAME PLACE.

OFFICE-DOOR INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,315, dated February 28,1899.

Application filed June 1 8, l 8 9 8.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC HENDERSON HAR- VEY,'a citizen of the United States, residing at Jumping Branch, in the county of Summers and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Office-Door Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an indicator, the object being to provide a device of this class of improved construction-specially applicable to office-doors, although capable vof use in other situations.

With this object in view my invention consists in a device of this class comprising two dials mounted upon the same frame, one provided with the usual numbers of a clock-dial and the other with lettering to indicate the presence of the occupant of the office and an inscription referring to the time-dial plate indicating the time of return when absent, the time dial being provided with hands and means for operating them and the other dial with a hinged shutter or flap to expose the upper or lower half of the dial, as may be desired, the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts being hereinafter fully described and afterward particularly pointed out in the claim.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, having reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the practical application of my invention to an ofiice-door. Fig. 2 is a View in front elevation of my invention of a form to render it applicable to an office-door or capable of use as a frame to be hung in any desired position. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating one of the spring-catches for holding the pivoted shutter.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A indicates a frame which may be constructed in Serial No. 683,846. (No model.)

a door,said frame being provided with grooves in its inner surface to receive a plate B of glass, the frame and plate being constructed as independent portable devices, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, or fitted in the door, as shown in Fig. l. Hinged at O to the inner side of the frame is a metallic frameconsisting of two rings D E, connected by a bar F, preferably made integral with the rings, the frame being provided witha suitable lock or latch G at the side opposite to the hinge, by means of which it can be secured in position against the inner face of the glass plate B. To the ring D is secured a backing H, of cardboard or other suitable material, upon the upper half of which is printed, painted, or otherwise placed the word In and upon the other half the words Will return at, and a pointer or hand with finger pointing toward the ring E. A flap or shutter I, semicircular in shape, is pivoted on its diametric line to the ring E in front of the backing H and near the glass plate B, said shutter being ,adapted to be folded downward to hide the lower half of the backing or upward to hide the upper half of the backing, catches J being provided at the top and bottom of the ring to engage the edge of the shutter and hold it in its raised or lowered position, as may be desired. A dial-plate K is secured in the ring E near its rear face, said dial-plate being numbered with the figures 1 to 12, arranged as on a clock-dial, and being provided with a central opening. A minutehand L is secured upon a sleeve M, mounted on a stem N, the hand lying in the rear of and close to or perhaps in contact with the glass plate B. An hour-hand O is mounted on a sleeve P, which is fitted over the sleeve M, the stem N and sleeves M and P passing through the central opening in the dial-plate and being provided on their inner edge with means for turning the hands independently of each other. A slot Q is provided in the frame A, through which to drop mail-matter when the device is fitted in a door. Abracket R is secured to the front of the frame in which to slip a card, as at R, containing any information which the occupant of the room may desire to communicate to callers. A hook S is provided on the outside of the frame, to which a memorandum-book S may be suspended by a chain S A case T is provided on the opposite side of the frame, secured to the front thereof and inclined outward, in which a pencil T may be placed.

In Fig. l I have illustrated the various parts of my invention as applied to an office door and adjusted to expose the words Will return at, with the pointing-finger on the lower half of the backing II of the ring D and the hands indicating three oclock on the dial. It will be readily understood that in this position the indicator announces that the proprietor is absent and will return at three oclock. A caller desiring to leave some special word for the occupant of the oflice can remove the pencil T from its case and write his message in the memorandum -book S. Cards ormail-matter may be dropped through the slot Q. Any special information which the occupant may desire to communicate to callers can be written upon a card, as at R, and slipped under the bracket R. Upon the arrival of the occupant of the oflice and his entrance therein he may unlatch the dialframe at G, throw it open inside the ofiice by swinging it upon the hinge O away from the glass plate B, when by dropping the shutter or flap I he will expose the word In on the upper half of the backing H of the ring D, thus indicating to callers his presence in the oilice.

As before stated, the indicator mounted in its frame, as best illustrated in Fig. 4:, may be hung on the outside of a door unprovided with a glass plate or in any other situation in which it would be readily seen by callers.

The advantages attending the use of my invention will be obvious from the foregoing description of its construction and operation, and while I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself to the exact details of construction shown, but hold that any slight variation therefrom, such as might suggest itself to the ordinary mechanic, might be clearly comprehended within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

An indicator comprising a frame, a plate of glass mounted therein, a metallic frame hinged to the main frame inside of the glass comprising two rings, one having a backing with separate inscriptions on its upper and lower halves and the other a dial-plate numbered as a clock-dial, a semicircular shutter hinged to the first ring to expose the upper or lower half of the inscribed backing, and independently-movable hands mounted on the numbered dial, substantially as described.

ISAAC HENDERSON HARVEY.

Witnesses:

JAs. H. MILLER, G. L. LILLY. 

